Page 64 of The Interns

“Yes, it is.” Dev walked up behind her and put his hands on her shoulders. It was his first night outside of the kitchen, as well, but no sooner did he join them, she popped up out of her chair. “Hey! Where are you off to?”

“I need to get something,” she called out over her shoulder as she went behind the bar. “We need to update the photo wall, so tonight,” she dropped down below the bar then resurfaced with a camera, “everybody is getting their pictures taken.”

She was met with groans from her friends, but she didn’t let that deter her at all. She just smiled instead. Her bar, her rules.

“Well, you better do it sooner than later before someone has celebrated too much.” Reed tilted his head toward Dustin who was already drunk with two hours to midnight still.

Maya glanced back at Reed who was standing behind her and grinned. She was always pro-giving-Dustin–shit, especially when Reed was the one doing it.

“I’ll get you two first,” Willa said pointing to Dustin and Sara, “and then you two.”

Maya’s grin faded when she realized she was the one being pointed at. “No, I’m not really part of all this,” she stammered while motioning at the tight circle of friends. “Why don’t I take the pictures for you all instead?”

“Nope,” Willa responded, unwilling to hear any of that.

“But I’m not from here,” Maya argued.

She remembered seeing those pictures above the bar for the first time, imagining the hours and hours these people had spent there, some just for a meal and some to celebrate. They had earned their place on that wall, and she didn’t feel right being among them. Not when she would be leaving all of this behind tomorrow.

“You’re here now,” Willa insisted.

Reed gave her a nod, calling her off, and assuring her that he’d take care of it somehow.

“Babe, you think maybe we should take care of something else first?” Dev asked.

“I was gonna wait until closer to…” Willa trailed off and nodded toward the large clock on the back wall.

“Now might be better,” he urged, giving a nod to Dustin who was on his way to party animal mode.

By this point, the rest of the group were looking at each other suspiciously, wondering what was about to go down.

“What are you two up to?” Sara asked, focusing her eyes on Dev.

“Yeah, spit it out,” Dustin demanded.

Willa and Dev shared a long look then began to smile as he nodded at her. She reached below the bar again, and pulled out a picture frame then placed it on the bar. Everyone leaned in to get a closer look at the blurry black, white, and gray picture in the frame. It took a moment to sink in, but as soon as it did, there were gasps then awws and happy laughter.

“Holy shit,” Dustin shouted, drawing all of the eyes in the bar their way. “We’re havin’ a baby!” He reached into his front shirt pocket and pulled one of the two cigars that he had planned on smoking throughout the night, then handed one to Dev.

“Get over here so I can hug you,” Sara demanded of Willa.

Maya felt tears prick her eyes as she watched the old friends celebrate this milestone together. She watched Reed, smiling and laughing with his friends. He gave the mother-to-be, a hug and kiss on the cheek then stepped back to congratulate the father-to-be who was beaming as he gazed upon his wife.

“I’m happy for you,” Reed said as he patted Dev on the back. “Everything is falling into place for you two. This is your year.”

“Thanks, man.”

“When?” Sara asked as she held Willa’s hands and looked down at her non-existent belly.

“I’ll be twelve weeks tomorrow. I’ve been dying to tell y’all. I figured you were on to me.”

Sara shook her head, but the pieces started to come together for Maya. The quick offer of crackers and fries when Maya was hungover, drinking ginger ale, and the specific cravings all screamed morning sickness and pregnancy in retrospect.

Reed found his way back to Maya’s side and slipped his arm around her shoulders. “How about that?” he asked quietly, the smile still on his lips.

“It’s great. I’m really happy for them,” she whispered back. She leaned into his side and returned her focus to the celebration going on in front of her. At least there was something to celebrate tonight.

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